Windows 7 Software Support Discussion

[jsepeta]

AHA! There's a hack to upgrade from build 7100 to build 7600. This isn't circumventing registration & activation -- you still need to own a license for Windows 7 -- but it should allow me to run an upgrade and not a clean install that would wipe out my existing software (and registration keys).
http://cytraxtech.blogspot.com/2009/08/upgrading-windows-7-build-7100-to-7600.html

The upgrade to EZ Drummer from lite worked well and I can't wait to put it into use.

Korg announced a change to their licensing for their virtual instruments. They now work without a USB key however they have yet to answer my email asking whether this will allow me to run them on either the Mac or the PC. I'll let you know as soon as I know; since they're working fine with the USB hasp under Windows 7, I'm not changing a darned thing until I hear from them because I'd rather not lock their products to one computer, especially as I'm now looking seriously at replacing my G5.

I've also wired up some blue holiday lights in my studio area which should give me a little more ambience. I also need to buy some kind of rug for the floor that I can roll up in case of flooding.

[Blue Bear Sound]

Don't forget the lava lamp!

[jsepeta]

EUREEKA! the upgrade from build 7100 to build 7600 worked, so tonight the DAW moves to the basement.

[DudeRasta]

The M-audio windows 7 drivers are released now too, I have been using the 64 bit beta drivers for my delta 1010 for about two months with reaper 64 bit.
Using Reaper X-64, all of my Native Instrument plugins work, as does waves diamond bundle and all the vsti's I was using with audition 3.

[mwynwood]

Hi all,
Just thought I'd drop in and say that Reaper, Addictive Drums and my FP10 are playing nice on Windows 7 Pro 64bit.

The only problem I'm having is that any media player that doesn't support ASIO is playing through my onboard sound, not the FP10 - this means that Reaper plays through the FP10, but Windows Media Player, iTunes, Windows System Sounds, VLC, etc.. doesn't. I imagine updated drivers will fix this.

[jsepeta]

Cruuuuuuuuuuud.

Got the PC moved to the basement. Ended up having to move the kurzweil to the right side and placing the DAW between both racks so I would be listening from the sweet spot. this basement room is very bass heavy -- had to turn the subwoofer down.

but then i plugged in my Emagic unitor 8 and realized that emagic's windows 2000 drivers which work with XP will not work with Windows 7. this means i either must buy 2 new midi interfaces (don't even get me started on how overpriced they are, or how much money i've lost over the years buying new ones to replace perfectly good old ones that just didn't work for me), or move the PC back upstairs (with the emu doc) and switch out the Mac. Since the PC has double the processing power of the Mac, and the mac is quiet and generates less heat, this is less than ideal.

Fudge. It's highly unlikely anyone at Apple gives a care about Emagic hardware, seeing how little they've done to support it since buying Emagic. They let many good products just die on the vine. [darn] you, Apple.

***

What's even worse is Avid who owns M-Audio has discontinued the Midisport 8x8s, which means that the only current midi interface on the market is branded Digidesign which means it's EXCEPTIONALLY expensive. And the gearheads like me who held on to their old gear aren't going to easily part with the MIDI interfaces that they own (which likely cost $500 new in the first place). Crud.

[aww-de-oh]

Sorry to hear.
Keep an eye on "the bay" and That "Craig guy's list". Might come across a used deal.

[jsepeta]

DOH. I forgot about MOTU. Just won a MOTU Midi Express 128 USB 8x8 midi interface for $195 including shipping which means about $50 off retail. Since my needs are pretty simple this should be adequate. I do not need SMPTE, nor Word Clock; just route what I'm playing on keyboard 1 or 2 to synths 3-8 for recording, plus playback)

But as I wired in a second set of speakers I heard a horrible POP and smelled the rotten burning from my reference amp. UGH. Sometimes I feel like the biggest [person who understands things differently] -- I thought that the amp was OFF. I've already had it fixed under warranty once, and I'm not sure what it will cost to repair again -- I think I bought it in 1996.

And on top of all this I discovered that one of the second set of speakers has a terrible buzz. So I'm using my brother's Nakamichi receiver to power the speakers tonight (it has a switch for A Speakers, B Speakers, and A + B Speakers) and will likely replace the secondary speakers (which were nice boutique audio) with a pair of garage sale Pioneers from the 1970's that I have in storage (thanks mom). The purpose of this is for me to monitor both through high quality reference monitors and lower-quality conventional speakers. For the time being, I've got the Sony powered subwoofer out of the loop.

[jsepeta]

My new MOTU MIDI Express 128 (well I got it from ebay so it's new to me) seems to be running fine. Loaded the 32 bit drivers and have no complaints so far.

Sonar LE 8.x is working well, but I'm not familiar enough with it to get everything tested yet. was extremely frustrated when it sent a local off command to my K2500XS without letting me know it was doing so.

I've invited my buddy Steve over to help me configure the Emu 1212M + Audio Dock properly. I need to wire it into my monitor mix so i can listen to things as the computer hears them, rather than through the submixers A and B (for left and right sides of my studio).

still waiting for protools updates and avid drivers. delayed from buying cubase 5 upgrade until next spring because of $1500 worth of dental surgery i had in november. but at least i get to keep my teeth, right?

[jsepeta]

whew. did a lot of work tonight.
lowered both keyboard stands 1 notch so it's easier to play from the sitting position
unplugged the emagic AMT8 power adapter and put it away. not sure if i'll sell it -- hard to part with an expensive and valuable item that works on the mac, when my pc still isn't 100%

dicked around in sonar LE 8.5 for over an hour. set up a default 16 channel midi template, created icons for all my gear, downloaded INS files for most instruments, then loaded INS and icons into the template. it records fine from channels 1 & 2 (kurzweil & karma) but WILL NOT PLAY BACK MIDI DATA. not sure if the problem is sonar or the new MOTU midi express 128 i installed. i'll dig around in the sonar and MOTU forums to figure this out. not quite missing my mac, but close.

plugged in the spdif out cable from my fantom to the in on my emu 1212m
reloaded the emu drivers and patchmix application.
disabled the onboard audio
restarted

now i've got no fkng audio coming through the emu, and am too brain-dead to figure it out tonight.
can't recall what changes i'll need to make in sonar to handle the inputs, and as i've got all instruments going to behringer submixers, i really only need 2 stereo inputs (1-2, 3-4) to handle the left and right sides of my studio. may have to buy new cables however since i've already siphoned off a few to use with my band.

[aww-de-oh]

Make sure your AI is selected as the audio device.
Going from the Motu to the Emu and reinstalling drivers may have unchecked the box.

[jsepeta]

still haven't gotten around to troubleshooting the audio interface, but I won an M-Audio Midisport 8x8 which I am hoping will perform as well as the one I sold for a huge loss 3 winters ago. we'll have to see if it arrives before xmas, otherwise I won't see it until the 28th because I'll be out of town.